Between darkness and light
by Barriers of Time
Summary: In an incident he lost his mother. He went into the dark world to learn the truth and take his revenge. But will he find what he had lost at the end?
1. Escape

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn_**

* * *

_Run!_

It was the only thought on his mind.

Footsteps reached his ear. They were behind him. A trigger was pressed. Something metallic flew close by his head, missed out just within an inch. _A bullet._

Why are they still there? If he lost one, two would be added to the group of chasers. He had done everything possible to get rid of them. He had turned right and turned left. Has gone up and down again. He has even crawled through the ventilation shafts. So why?

Another bullet was shoot from behind. And another.

It was clear.

He could dodge as many bullets as he want, there would always be more waiting for him. No chances of escape. He slowed down and stopped. Eyes closed for a moment. Breathe in. Breathe out.

He knew what to do. And he didn't like it one bit.

As he opened the eyes again, the once warm honey brown eyes were cold and hard. A slightly orange could be seen.

The footsteps were now right behind him. He turned around and saw three men dressed in suits. One was tall. He had a scare on his cheek and a big grin on his lips. Man number two had brown hair just like his and an earring. He looked a little bit exhausted. The last one was half the size of the first one. A firm expression on his face. All of them held a gun in their hands.

The big one, oblivious the leader, played a little with his gun. He let it rotate around his finger. The fat grin was still on his face. He went up to him as if he was superior. His guard was down now that the mouse was in the trap. A big mistake.

He strained is muscles. Ready to fight for his freedom. But not now. Not yet. _A little bit closer._

"Are you giving up, kid?", asked the big monkey, confident of his victory.

He took a step forward. _A little closer._

Another step. _Closer._

When the monkey wanted to put his left foot on the ground, the brunet ducked, took a swing with his right leg and kicked the right leg of the monkey. The man lost his balance and fell graceless to the ground.

Quickly rose the brunet to his feeds again, grabbed the gun, which now lay before him and hit the man on the head. The monkey lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, the other two men realized what had happened and rushed forward. The closest to him,man number two, formed his hand into a fist and tried to hit him in the stomach.

_Not use the guns? Where they under order to capture him alive? Ridiculous. _

But the kid was faster.

He caught the wrist of the man and used the force of the blow to flip him over his shoulder.

With a directed hit in the neck there was only one man left.

_Two down, one to go._

Man number three was shacking so much that he could not even aim with his gun. But that didn't matter anyway, because before he knew what hit him he dropped dead to floor.

The warm returned into the brown eyes.

Maybe he could relax a little bit now. If only for a minute.

But fortune was not on his side. He could hear more footsteps coming in his direction. New hunters.

_How many of them are here? __I must hold out. Almost there.__ Keep going._

Time to go.

He ran up the hallway and a staircase. You could feel a draft. At the end of the stairs was a door to the outside. To freedom.

He was on the roof of the mansion. Rain and wind lashed him in the face. He ran to the middle of the roof as a click sound could be heared.

Slowly he turned around, ready to overcome the last obstacle. But what he saw, made him froze.

There was this feeling again. The one feeling that he had tried to avoid so many times. Fear.

The man wore a suit like the others. On his had was a fedora with a yellow strip. A green gun was pointed at the teen.

The man looked him in the eyes.

"Arrivederci"

The world turned black.


	2. Countdown to Death

Countdown to Death: Begin

* * *

**1 year ago. Italy.**

The world was red.

The world was red and hot.

Humans were standing in the mist of this nightmare. Screaming, lying, praying, running. Trying to flee from this hell – in vain. But you couldn't hear a thing. There was only silence. It was as if the world were wrapped in cotton wool.

He screamed, too. Called for somebody to help.

Bur there was no one to help him. Nobody to save him. There was only red. And fear. The weird feeling that makes you think that you cannot breathe anymore.

The people were terrified. And there was blood. Everywhere was blood. Even on him.

Alone. Was this his destiny? To be alone?

"T.. -kun."

A voice. A load. A sound.

Behind him was a woman with brown hair.

Was she real?

She was kneeing and crying. So many tears. Like a little waterfall.

Her hands reached up to his face. Touched him.

"Tsu-kun.", she said. "I-It will all be alright. We must only keep going. We can make it."

An explosion. And then there wasn't any red. There was black.

* * *

A cry, a crash, a low moan and the world was upside down.

While a pair of legs was lying on a comfortable mattress, his torso ached. Tsuna found himself on the cold wooden floor. His head was spinning. And it was warm. His pajamas drenched in sweat.

Slowly he lifted his legs off the bed and looked around. His hotel room looked the same as yesterday evening. A bed, a chair, a table, a TV and a cabinet. On the table were a bag with a few clothes. Nothing else.

Tsuna sat down on the bed. One hand supported his head.

"_I-It will all be alright. We must only keep going. We can make it."_

It was lie. It was always a lie. No matter how many times the dream would come to him, they would never make it.

His hand was shaking.

Tsuna dreamed of this event quiet often. But it was ok. He had made his piece with it. Knowing that it would never change.

But soon there was the anniversary. And from then on it wasn't easy. He tended to overreact and then he wanted to talk to anyone anymore. Only to sit in a corner consumed by doubt and sorrow.

An annoying sound disturbed his thoughts. The alarm clock. He stared at it for five minutes then the clock was silent again.

Tsuna sighed.

_Well, it probably won't bring me any good to just sit here til the evening. There are more important matters to take care of._

The teen stood up and went into the bathroom. It wasn't special. Unless you mean with "special" small. Then yes, it was really special.

Ten minutes later, the brunet stood before the cabinet. In it were only a blue T-shirt and a black jeans. Really one is spoilt for choice.

Tsuna took the clothes out of the cabinet and began to get dressed.

_I wonder if the others are already there?_

Fully dressed he took the bag with his remaining things and went on his way to the elevator. The hotel was near the city center. You could have quite the nice view if it weren't for a wall around the hotel that reached the second floor. His room was located in the third floor. Tsuna couldn't say that _he_ hasn't had a nice view.

The hotel looked like a prison on the inside and on the outside. The wall completed the image.

After the check-out the teen set off to the city center.

Early on, people were on their feet here.

Thirteen minutes later he was going through a door in the second floor of a apartment house. In the room weren't much furniture. Here and there was a chair.

Therefore, a lot of electronic devices and weapons lay on the ground.

_Here, as always, is a mess._

Tsuna began to try to maneuvered through this chaos. Always careful to not damage one of the expansive devices.

"Ah, you are already here, Tsuna."

Out of one of the adjacent rooms came a teen.

"Good morning, Spanner. I've only just arrived.", Tsuna answered. But through the small deflection Tsuna slid practically on air and landed face-first on the floor. At gun point.

He already wanted to scream when he realized that the gun was just lying on the floor. _Thank God._

"Are you hurt?", asked Spanner.

Spannerhad blonde hair and was always seen wearing a green one-piece jumpsuit and black boots. He was also the weapons expert in their group.

"I'm fine.", groaned Tsuna as he stood up. "Here is it dangerous. You could do something about it. It's called tidying-up.

"But that would destroy my wonderful chaos."

_That's the point!_

"Is that you Tsuna-kun?", asked a worried voice. A boy with red hair and glasses looked into the room. Shoichi Irie. He was responsible for the technology.

"Yes, Irie-kun. Is everything ready for tomorrow?"

"As good as. I explain the plan when the last one arrives." Irie left the room together with Spanner. Tsuna went to the little window. He could see the people on their way to work. The teen touched the cold glass with his hand. His heart raced.

_Tomorrow the streets will be filled with mafiosos. They all come here, because of the meeting of the alliance bosses. This will be our target. Our great chance._

The door was opened. Another teen entered the room. Tsuna turned his head.

"A few minutes later and I would have stopped believing that you still come, Gokudera-kun."


	3. Plans, Mafioso and Meetings

Plans, Mafioso and Meetings

_Tomorrow the streets will be filled with mafioso. They all come here, because of the meeting of the alliance bosses. This will be our target. Our great chance._

_The door was opened. Another teen entered the room. Tsuna turned his head._

"_A few minutes later and I would have stopped believing that you still come, Gokudera-kun."_

* * *

At the door stood a silver haired boy. He wore a white jacket above a red T-shirt and a blue jeans. He smiled at Tsuna and wanted to ran to him, but was stopped by the mess before him at the ground. If he had smiled a few seconds ago, now Gokudera was growling as he saw the devices.

"Have I heard someone growl in here?"

Spanner came in the room again. He looked bored.

"Ah. It was you, Gokudera. As always the last one to arrive. You should do something about this habit of yours." The blond pointed a finger at Gokudera, who looked like he could explode every time now, as if he lectured a child.

"And what about you, you idiotic mechanic? Look at that mess! One false step and somebody could get serious injured! You're a danger to yourself and your environment. If somebody should do something about someone's habits it should be you! So TIDY-UP!"

Spanner looked Gokudera in the eyes. Maybe he would really tidy-up? But …

"No."

So much for that.

_Sometimes I think that Spanner is only here because he likes to annoy Gokudera-kun._

"Tidy-up or I do it for you! And then I swear that all the stuff ends up in the garbage!", threatened Gokudera, but Spanner glared at him with his I-dare-you-look.

Now the silver haired teen had enough. In one second he had two dynamites of his endless who-God-knows-where storage in both of his hands.

It's time to intervene.

Skilfully Tsuna crossed the sea of technical devices and grabbed Gokudera's hands, successfully preventing Gokudera to throw his dynamites.

"Stop, Gokudera-kun. You could blow all of us up."

Gokudera glared at Spanner and for a moment it seemed as if he really considered it. Tsuna was relieved when Gokudera sighed and packed the sticks back again – where ever they came from in the first place.

"Is it safe to come in?" , asked Irie, who stood in the doorway. Since nobody wanted to answer him – Spanner and Gokudera glared at each other – it was Tsuna's turn.

"Yes, Irie-kun. But it is a mess here. It would be better if we discussed the plan for tomorrow in another room."

"Oh, ok, Tsuna-kun. Then follow me." Irie went back into the room he came from and the other three followed. In the room stood a table with four chairs around it. As they all were seated Irie picked his bag and took something out. It was white and fleecy.

Spanner, Gokudera and Tsuna were irritated.

"Irie, I don't want to be rude, but what the hell is this?", wondered Spanner and pointed at the thing before them.

"This, my friends, is the key."

"The key for what?"

"For a successful mission. I now explain the plan …"

* * *

At the next morning Tsuna, Spanner and Gokudera were on their way to a luxury hotel, the Clam Hotel. It was own by Vongola, the most influential and mightiest mafia famiglia in the world. And it was the one thing you shouldn't mention near Tsuna.

Gokudera and Spanner wore their usual clothes while Tsuna could be seen in a blue jumpsuit just like Spanner's. His brown hair was hidden through a hat. That Tsuna was not happy about this development was a understatement. What wouldn't he do for his other clothes. But it was part of the plan.

"Ready?", asked Spanner the other two as they stood before the hotel. The entrance was blocked by two men in suit. Mafioso.

Gokudera glared at Spanner. "Any time."

The brunet breathed in. That was it. After this their goal would be closer to them. "Let's do it." Gokudera and Spanner nodded. Then Gokudera went to the door and glared at two men.

"What do you want, kid?"

The time had come. Tsuna remembered as Irie explained the plan to them yesterday.

"_It's an important meeting for the alliance so the doors will be shut. First, we must get rid of the guards at the entrance. That's your part, Gokudera-kun. _

"_And how should I do that?", interrupted the silver haired teen._

"_Easy. Pick up a fight."_

Hey kiddo, didn't you here me? Leave!", repeated the guard. But instead Gokudera glared even harder. "I don't think so!" The next the guard knew was that fist has made contact with his stomach. The other man had a leg in his face. Tsuna and Spanner could see the two men hunt Gokudera, who now was fleeing.

_Idiots._

The two friends made their way through the entrance. The lobby was big and almost everything was made out of marble. More mafioso were sitting on couches and chairs.

"_When Spanner and Tsuna-kun are in the lobby you, Spanner, must draw the attention to you. Scream, demand a room, start a riot. The method is up to you. Tsuna, you must reach the stairs to the second floor."_

"_Why?"_

Spanner went to the reception. "I want a room."

The woman starred at Spanner. "I need to ask you to leave, sir."

"Not before I have a room.", demanded the teen. One of the mafioso stood up and lay a hand on Spanner's shoulder. "You hear bad, boy. You should g…"

He got no further because Spanner used a taser on him. The woman screamed and the other mafioso went up to Spanner.

Meanwhile, Tsuna was on his way to the second floor. There he stopped at a door.

"_Because there is a janitorial chamber. This room is located under the meeting room. The two rooms are connected through a ventilation shaft.", explained Irie._

"_Do you expect me to crawl through the shaft?"_

"_No. Not really."_

Quickly Tsuna found the entry to the shaft. He took the white thing – a microphone enveloped in cotton – out of a trouser pocket and throw it into the shaft. Then he waited.

"Do you have decided on a heir yet, Vongola Nono? I mean, now that your sons are dead.", could it be heared through a communicator.

_It works!_

"Don't be so disrespectful!" shouted another voice.

"But it's important. Vongola is the center of this alliance."

"Do not worry,my friend.", said a gentle, old voice. Vongola Nono. "There is someone, but his or her identity will be kept a secret."

Somebody was muttering something.

"Back to the topic. What do we do about … How did we call them again?"

"Phantom Group 27", answered a shy voice.

_That are we._

"Yes, this group has made a lot of trouble for us. I think we should sent _him _to clear the matter with them." The others agreed with the man.

"Ok. Then it's decided. We will sent …"

"Vongola Nono!", interrupted a voice. "A spy is in the building."

_Uh-oh. Time to leave._

Tsuna ran to the stairs and in the lobby. There weren't any mafioso. Gokudera and Spanner have made a good job. Outside, Tsuna went to their apartment as a man dressed in suit with a fedora and a chameleon on it crossed his path.

"You should be more carefully from now on."

Tsuna turned around. "What?"

But the man wasn't there anymore.


	4. Celebration

Celebration

The sun was disappearing out of sight of the inhabitants of the city and the first stars shone dimly on the horizon. Torches were set up on the roadside, illuminating the colorful stalls. On this evening a street party was to take place after weeks of planning.

Many people were already on the streets and more and more mingled with the colorful crowd. Also Tsuna, Gokudera and Spanner had been hiding in the crowd. It was fortunate that the festival took place on the same day as the meeting. This allowed the three to slip away unnoticed from the hotel. Possible pursuers would easily lose sight of them in this crowd of people. _Hopefully the man with the Fedora, too_, thought Tsuna.

Tsuna was not stupid. If you wanted to survive in this world, you had to know one or two things. Like the Fedora-carrying man in a suit. That had been Reborn. The best assassin in the world, and additionally Vongola Nono usually most trusted assassin. The only question was, why he had warned Tsuna. Sure Reborn had seen him run out of the hotel and with the turmoil that existed in there, you had to add up just two and two.

He had decided to tell his comrades nothing about his encounter with Reborn until he knew more. For now, he was not worried about an early reunion with the assassin. But Tsuna felt quite possible that he would Reborn again sooner or later. And this meeting will then absolutely not end as good as the present one.

* * *

Meanwhile, the people outside celebrated to the fullest at the street festival. Even in an apartment building was a celebration held. Four glasses clinked together so that the liquid insight was almost spilled over the edge. The four occupants of the small apartment all laughed. It felt good for a change, just relax and not even think about the next mission.

Irie had even decorated the room briefly. Now here and there streamers hung on the furniture and the floor was about full of balloons. In retrospect, the whole thing was actually worse than the chaos that Spanner frequently maintains.

"It was just great, Tsuna. How you did sneak past these nasty Mafioso.", gushed Gokudera.

Tsuna smiled at him kindly. "I feel really flattered that you think so, Gokudera-kun, but I have encountered as good as no Mafioso, thanks Irie-kun's knowledge of the building and Spanner's and your good groundwork. If anyone here has done a great job, then you."

"Oh no, Tsuna. We have done as good as nothing.", said Gokudera and launched into a bow, when he was interrupted by Spanner. "Actually, ...", began the mechanic, but was immediately told by the bombers evil glare to remain silent.

But before Spanner could do anything stupid that would likely result in an explosion, Irie quickly held his hands in front Spanner's mouth and laughed nervously. Gokudera cursed in the meantime the gagged Spanner.

For Tsuna this scene felt euphoric. To be able to chat normally with his friends. After all, no one knows how long this peace will continue. He stared out the window into the dark night.

* * *

Elsewhere a boy was also staring into the starry night. He was expecting a call from his boss for a couple of hours. The next job was waiting for him. At daytime he was indeed the smiling-through-life going student, but in the night he showed off his true self.

His cell phone beeped. Speak of the devil.

"What's up?", he spoke quietly into the phone.

_"Your new job. By Vongola personally. You should take care of this new group, which has disrupted the meeting of the Alliance bosses today. Do you feel ready for it?"_

Behind the boy an armed person came near him through the dark shadows of the old building. When the person was close enough, he wanted to drill a dagger through the body of the boy. But instead, he took a sword in his abdomen. The young assassin in front of him did not even look at the stranger and pulled his sword out of the body and placed it over his shoulder. A few seconds later you could hear a thud.

A smile spread across his features. "I'll do it."


	5. 9 Months

**Countdown to death: 9 months**

**Italy**

The setting sun colored the sky gradually into a soft orange. The streets were filled once again with people of all kinds. Dealer advertised their wares one last time today. Boys went with packs of newspapers through the crowd and called: "The Front Page! The Front Page! Explosion in northern Italy! Police are baffled!"

The people were not really in a hurry that night. Patiently they remained here and there and looked at the merchandise. Now and then, they bought something. But one person was notable for his hustle.

A man, dressed in black, ran through the crowded street. Because of all the people he was not as fast as he would have liked. He had to deliver an important message.

If he had to he pushed the people aside. Behind him he heard an angry "Hey," or "Watch out". But that did not matter. He had more important things to worry about.

Finally out of the full street, he headed for a villa in the suburbs. It was encircled by a beautiful garden, as if straight out of a fairy tale. This building was the headquarters of the Vongola famiglia and thus anything but a fairy tale. As the saying goes: do not judge a book by its cover.

The man stopped short in front of the door, smoothed out his suit and then entered the villa. On the tiles lay a red carpet. It spread into every gear. It seemed to be going through the whole building.

He walked up the stairs. There were three courses, one leading to the right, one to the left and one straight ahead. The last he took until he stood before a heavy wooden door. Then he knocked on the door. An old, yet strong voice answered him.

"Come in."

He acted as applied and entered a relatively large study. Behind a desk flooded with papers, sat an elderly man

The man in black bowed hastily.

"I bring bad news, Nono. Our base in northern Italy was razed to the ground. We suspect the phantom group behind it. "

The older man made a gesture for silence. "Do not worry. There were made preparations to get rid of this problem."

* * *

Tsuna sighed.

He wanted to just buy some food when he noticed them. _Don't they ever give up?,_thought Tsuna. Couldn't they just leave him alone for a few minutes. Mafiosi pursued him since he had left North Italy. Of course, it is part of the plan that Tsuna distracted them from the others – Gokudera did anything but agree.

Sure, they had just destroyed their base in North Italy. But anyway! Everyone had a right to some peace and quiet.

_Seems like i don't have a choices_, Tsuna sighed for repeated times. When he wanted to get rid of them, he must face the men if he liked it or not.

Anxious to behave normal, he went into one of the many side streets. He quickly hid behind a dumpster. He checked again, that his gun was still there, knowing to it use only in an emergency.

If a shot was heard, someone would be aware of them. This must be prevented.

The men came running into the alley. There were four of them. When the first one was near Tsuna's position, he attacked. He punched him in the stomach, so that he collapsed and hit him wtith an empty bottle out of the garbage on the head.

The second man took out a knife from his jacket. Now he ran to Tsuna and lashed out with the knife. But Tsuna was faster, leaped over the man and took him to the ground, where the broken glass bottle was. Tsuna then grabbed the knife and threw it into the third man's chest.

He already knew it when he threw the knife. The fourth man was behind him, pressing a gun to his head.

Tsuna closed his eyes. But the shot did not come. Instead, he heard something heavy hit the ground.

Behind Tsuna stood a boy, about 17 years old. So about his own age. The boy had clearly Asian roots. He was big and had black hair.

"Hello. My name is Takeshi. And what's yours?"


End file.
